Vintage Parts Perfection!
Tim Davies of Suzuki GB had an idea: to plunder the files of Suzuki and see just what parts they still had in stock for a wide range of classic Suzukis…
If the rumours are true, some top brass back in Suzuki HQ in Japan were asking why people wanted parts for their old Suzukis instead of buying new GSX-RS…
This was back in 2008 and with Suzuki’s amazing back catalogue of classic motorcycles it made sense for them to search out the parts to keep the owners of these classics happy. Suzuki’s Vintage Parts Programme was launched in 2013 and was the brainchild of Tim Davies, Suzuki GB’S aftersales coordinator. The VPP highlights just how many new/old parts the manufacturer still has available for sale – over 10,000 of them at recent count. “We launched the programme to highlight just how many new, genuine parts for older Suzukis were still available, and competitively priced,” explains Tim.
“We wanted to help owners restoring bikes do it properly. So we’ve taken new photographs of every part on the programme, created parts lists, and made workshop manuals available to download to help owners carry out work.”
The programme now covers a wide range of bikes, from RGV250S and RG500S to GSX-R750S, Katanas, Bandits and TL1000S. But even if the bike you want to restore – or simply want some parts for – is not yet listed on the Vintage Parts website (shopvintage.suzuki.co.uk), it’s still worth getting in touch. This is now big business for Suzuki as it accounts for between 50 to 60% of their total parts turnover.
Models are being added frequently and the next one for the VPP treatment is the mighty GSX-R1100G to J.
If you’ve got one of these beasts, then you’ll be pleased to know that a fair few hundred parts are in stock for these two models of the big air/oil-cooled four-cylinder four-stroke.
As well as the parts in stock, Tim’s keen to give Suzuki a ‘wish-list’ of parts that he feels owners will want to have. He explains: “I have given them a big list of what I’d like to have and then they will talk to the procurement team and see if it is possible to do any of them – nothing is guaranteed yet! I’ve asked for bodywork, but only the bare plastic or primer paint as the customer can paint them the colour they need and then get the decals applied. The factory is keen, so that’s positive! As an example, we have just remanufactured the original Katana fuel tank and we have 20 of these arriving, we’ve had three already and those were sold straight away. In fact, our original order was for 10 but as the interest was so high we upped that to 20, so once they have gone that will be it. The price for these is £746.76 retail – not bad as you can’t get a hand-built tank for less than £800, then you have to paint it. The UK is the only distributor to offer this fuel
tank as our European counterparts opted not to take them: their loss in my opinion!”
So what may be coming next after the GSX-R? “I am currently working on the GSX750ET/X model and hope to have that over to the web team in the next couple of weeks. On that model we have parts available which include cam-chain, guide and adjuster, rocker arms, intake and exhaust plus the shaft. We’ve also got both valves, springs, retainers, valve seats, cotters and seals, all intake pipes and standard piston rings. I can tell you that we are also working on the GS750D/E but that is quite a way off!
After that we will be working on the GSX1100EFE and ET/X models. I’m discussing parts for the EFE with the factory so you never know, we may be able to bring some of these parts back too! I’m proud that this is led by us at Suzuki GB.”
The VPP has had many successful PR stunts, including building a complete TL1000S from parts at Motorcycle LIVE as well as doing the same a few years later with a once-scabby GSX-R750F ‘slabby’. They also built the super-cool Team Classic Suzuki Katana. Tim adds: “It may have been the case that Barry Sheene’s 500cc title-winning bikes which came over from Australia would still be there and not have been refurbished without VPP. And then there’s all the great stuff that Steve
Wheatman and Nathan Colombi do with Team Classic Suzuki. And we also help out at a number of classic track days, including the Suzuki days at Classic Bike Trackdays’ events.”
Tim and his team can rightly be proud of their achievements in getting genuine Suzuki parts into the hands of restorers across the UK. He says: “I look back and see what we’ve achieved and feel immensely proud, but also very thankful that Suzuki had the belief and support in me to actually carry this off. Quite incredible from an idea that started in 2008 and then launched in 2013, and look what we have got now. It’s been some ride, I can tell you. To be honest it’s been hard work but the rewards outweigh all of that. And when you go to a show like Stafford and see bikes restored that have parts that we’ve supplied, well, that makes it all worthwhile!”